Rob Atkinson insists Fleetwood Town’s season is far from finished after Tuesday nights 2-0 defeat to Barnet, and that he and his team-mates owe the fans a result on Saturday.
By Tom BestwickRob Atkinson insists Fleetwood Town’s season is far from finished after Tuesday nights 2-0 defeat to Barnet, and that he and his team-mates owe the fans a result on Saturday.
A goal in each half from Mark Byrne and Luke Gambin leaves Town six points off the play-off places with seven games to go, and Fleetwood’s captain says the team need to cut out the individual errors in order to get back to winning ways.
“It was very disappointing,” Atkinson Said “It was a game we come into wanting the three points but we just haven’t turned up on the night. It was very disappointing from the team and we will look to bounce back on Saturday.
“It was just individual errors. We seem to be saying it every week though and there haven’t been many games where we have had opportunities like that to score, and we seem to give teams far too many opportunities like that week in, week out. Obviously individual errors and chances like that need to be cut out, and we need to learn from it quickly.”
Barnet’s second goal came from a defensive mistake just before the hour mark, when a lack of communication between goalkeeper Scott Davies and right back Shaun Beeley allowed Gambin to tap into an empty net.
Atkinson believes Town were still well in the game before the second goal, and insists both Davies and Beeley were unfortunate with the mistake, as he emphasised the need for errors like that to be cut out.
“They (Shaun Beeley and Scott Davies) have been one of the two most consistent players of the season and it’s just a misunderstanding, and a lapse in communication. Obviously they had the upper hand after going 2-0 up. At 1-0 up, we are still in it; all it takes is a half chance to get a goal, but when that second goal goes in we are thinking here we go again. We need to cut these individual errors out.”
With seven games remaining, Fleetwood have 21 points to play for, and Atkinson maintains that Towns bid for an end of season play-off place is still alive, and they will go into the remaining games with a positive attitude.
“We have just said in the changing rooms after the game, we have got 21 points to play for and the season is not over yet. We have to go into each game with a positive attitude and know that we are still in it and there are a lot of points to play for. We have got to play a couple of the teams in and around the play-offs as well, if we take points off them it opens up a different picture again. We know the season isn’t over yet, we are going to go into every game now with a positive attitude knowing the season is still alive, knowing we can still make the play-offs.”
Dagenham & Redbridge are the next team to visit Highbury Stadium on Saturday, and after two defeats on the road, the 25-year-old defender believes his side owe their fans a positive result against the Daggers.
“That (a win) will put as back on track, and it will give the fans something to cheer after the long two away games that we have had. They have come out in their numbers again tonight just like they did on Saturday. We as players owe them a good performance on Saturday and a result most importantly and hopefully we can get that for them.”
